RNA-Seq of bovine preipheral blood leukocytes: functional analysis of the transcriptome obtained after immunization with recombinant antigens from the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, and after infestations and validation of results with PCR arrays

• Grant number: 12/06708-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Isabel Kinney Ferreira de Miranda Santos
• Grantee: Isabel Kinney Ferreira de Miranda Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tick infestations by Rhipicephalus microplus, the cattle tick, cause enormous losses to animal production. Ticks induce immune responses in their hosts, hence their immunobiological control is feasible. Due to variable efficacy of available anti-tick vaccines, new tick antigens are needed. The FMRP-USP research group on ticks screens new candidate antigens selected by transcriptomic analysis of ticks fed on resistant or susceptible hosts. So far, four recombinant tick salivary antigens have been tested as a multicomponent anti-tick vaccine in bovines. A challenge with R. microplus showed that tick infestations in vaccinated bovines were reduced significantly, attested by a reduction in biological parameters of infestation (efficacy of 73.2%). The effect of the vaccine was also evaluated through production antigen-specific antibodies. A global perspective of the molecular process triggered during immunization and during infestation in vaccinated and control bovines will provide important information for understanding the mechanisms of protection involved in tick/host interface. Thus, the aim of this proposal is to analyze the transcriptome of leukocytes from peripheral blood of vaccinated and control bovines. The transcriptome was obtained by RNA-seq and the data will be analyzed by bioinformatic tools for differential gene expression identification in order to obtain gene signatures related to protective immunity conferred by the vaccine and also responses to infestation. Signatures seen in responses to infestations will be validated in an independent population of animals by means of PCR arrays of select networks identified in the functional analysis. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GARDINASSI, LUIZ GUSTAVO; DOTZ, VIKTORIA; EDERVEEN, AGNES HIPGRAVE; DE ALMEIDA, ROQUE PACHECO; NERY COSTA, CARLOS HENRIQUE; COSTA, DORCAS LAMOUNIER; DE JESUS, AMELIA RIBEIRO; MAYBORODA, OLEG A.; GARCIA, GUSTAVO ROCHA; WUHRER, MANFRED; et al. Clinical Severity of Visceral Leishmaniasis Is Associated with Changes in Immunoglobulin G Fc N-Glycosylation. MBIO, v. 5, n. 6, NOV-DEC 2014. (13/00382-0, 12/06708-2, 11/23819-0)

GARDINASSI, LUIZ GUSTAVO; GARCIA, GUSTAVO ROCHA; NERY COSTA, CARLOS HENRIQUE; SILVA, VLADIMIR COSTA; FERREIRA DE MIRANDA SANTOS, ISABEL KINNEY. Blood Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Immunological Signatures of Distinct States of Infection of Humans with Leishmania infantum. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, v. 10, n. 11, NOV 2016. (13/00382-0, 11/23819-0, 14/25856-8, 12/06708-2)

MARUYAMA, SANDRA R.; CARVALHO, BENILTON; GONZALEZ-PORTA, MAR; RUNG, JOHAN; BRAZMA, ALVIS; GARDINASSI, LUIZ GUSTAVO; FERREIRA, BEATRIZ R.; BANIN, TAMY M.; VERISSIMO, CECILIA J.; KATIKI, LUCIANA M.; et al. Blood transcriptome profile induced by an efficacious vaccine formulated with salivary antigens from cattle ticks. NPJ VACCINES, v. 4, n. 1, DEC 18 2019. (12/06708-2, 12/04087-0, 12/15464-0)